On Friday evening, the #14 nationally ranked Avalanche welcomed the #2 Capilano Blues to Cranbrook for one of the most anticipated matchups of the semester. Despite a strong week of preparation and high energy in the gym, the Avs were met by a Blues team performing at a level few teams ever reach. Capilano played nearly flawless volleyball through the first two sets, and although the Avs produced several long, gritty rallies and flashes of high-level play, they struggled to generate kills against the relentless Blues defence and transition attack.
Head Coach Bryan Fraser noted that his group "felt well prepared, healthy, and had some really high-level training sessions leading into the games," but admitted the Avs were "caught off guard with how well Capilano played in the first set." He added that "flawless volleyball isn't something you see very often, even from top clubs in the world, and it took us away from our style of play."
The Avs showed impressive pushback in the third set with Liv Harder providing a spark off the bench and helping COTR hold a lead for much of the frame. Capilano, however, found another late surge to close out the set and finish a 3–0 win. Still, the resilience and fight from the Avs drew loud appreciation from the home crowd.
Saturday afternoon brought a fresh start, and the Avalanche opened with confidence. Emma Lang made several key plays at the net and Sloane Brodner contributed timely scoring to help the Avs build early momentum. But again, Capilano's offensive rhythm elevated, and once the Blues found their stride they controlled the match en route to a second straight 3–0 victory.
For COTR, veterans Stevie Friesen and Hannah Gray led the way with fearless play—attacking aggressively, serving with purpose, and competing with determination from start to finish. Fraser praised his team's mindset throughout the weekend, saying he was "really happy with how the girls battled and stayed in there with a resilient attitude." He emphasized that important lessons were learned and that the group is "determined to use it to be better prepared for the second half." Looking ahead, he expressed excitement for what's to come: "This second semester is going to be fun—so much importance on every single game as we work to finish as high as possible in the standings."
